It's felt like a long week this week but tomorrow is the day the squad get to show whether the performance and result v Telford was the new benchmark or just a flash in the pan. It would be a welcome sight before our tough FA cup fixture at home to BPA to put some more point on the board and string together back to back wins for the first time this season.

Like us, Southport are dwelling well below where they thought they might be in the league. The return of Liam Watson has seen them occupy 20th position with a record of 1 win, 3 Draws and 5 Defeats and a goal difference of -7. They do have some good players though. Late season acquisitions Elliott Osbourne (ex-Fleetwood) and Jason Gilchrist (ex-FCUM) along with the summer acquisition of GK Dan Hanford (ex-Gateshead) mean they have quality in their squad.

Focusing back on ourselves I've mentioned on other threads the importance, above all else, of retaining the 4-2-3-1 / 4-5-1 formation that was so successful against Telford. The returning to fitness of players will give Tommy some difficult, but welcome decisions to make. However, it should at least mean we have options on the bench to change the game in our favour should we need to.

Plenty of debate on the team we should be going with but for me we make one change. Styche is our best striker, he proved it last season, and is ahead in the charts this season. For me he has to come back into the team. So I would set us up:

--------------------------- Maddison--------------------------

Trotman ------------ Burn ------- Hughes ------- O'Hanlon

--------------------- Wheatley ---- Elliott --------------------

Thompson --------------- Syers ----------------- Nicholson

---------------------------- Styche -------------------------------

Subs: Saunders, Ainge, Henshall, Galbraith, Bancroft.

I Think this team is good enough to win a fair few on the bounce if we can maintain the system that allows them to perform to their best.

It's felt like a long week this week but tomorrow is the day the squad get to show whether the performance and result v Telford was the new benchmark or just a flash in the pan. It would be a welcome sight before our tough FA cup fixture at home to BPA to put some more point on the board and string together back to back wins for the first time this season.

Like us, Southport are dwelling well below where they thought they might be in the league. The return of Liam Watson has seen them occupy 20th position with a record of 1 win, 3 Draws and 5 Defeats and a goal difference of -7. They do have some good players though. Late season acquisitions Elliott Osbourne (ex-Fleetwood) and Jason Gilchrist (ex-FCUM) along with the summer acquisition of GK Dan Hanford (ex-Gateshead) mean they have quality in their squad.

Focusing back on ourselves I've mentioned on other threads the importance, above all else, of retaining the 4-2-3-1 / 4-5-1 formation that was so successful against Telford. The returning to fitness of players will give Tommy some difficult, but welcome decisions to make. However, it should at least mean we have options on the bench to change the game in our favour should we need to.

Plenty of debate on the team we should be going with but for me we make one change. Styche is our best striker, he proved it last season, and is ahead in the charts this season. For me he has to come back into the team. So I would set us up:

--------------------------- Maddison--------------------------

Trotman ------------ Burn ------- Hughes ------- O'Hanlon

--------------------- Wheatley ---- Elliott --------------------

Thompson --------------- Syers ----------------- Nicholson

---------------------------- Styche -------------------------------

Subs: Saunders, Ainge, Henshall, Galbraith, Bancroft.

I Think this team is good enough to win a fair few on the bounce if we can maintain the system that allows them to perform to their best.

Happy with that line up , bit tough on Saunders but you cant leave your captain/top scorer warming the bench when he's been away on international duty.

_________________

Help get the club back to Darlo by helping to spread the word about the "Back to Darlo!" fund. The image on the right will be constantly updated with the latest total so please feel free to use the image link below the thermometer on your own signatures, blogs, websites, etc.

It's felt like a long week this week but tomorrow is the day the squad get to show whether the performance and result v Telford was the new benchmark or just a flash in the pan. It would be a welcome sight before our tough FA cup fixture at home to BPA to put some more point on the board and string together back to back wins for the first time this season.

Like us, Southport are dwelling well below where they thought they might be in the league. The return of Liam Watson has seen them occupy 20th position with a record of 1 win, 3 Draws and 5 Defeats and a goal difference of -7. They do have some good players though. Late season acquisitions Elliott Osbourne (ex-Fleetwood) and Jason Gilchrist (ex-FCUM) along with the summer acquisition of GK Dan Hanford (ex-Gateshead) mean they have quality in their squad.

Focusing back on ourselves I've mentioned on other threads the importance, above all else, of retaining the 4-2-3-1 / 4-5-1 formation that was so successful against Telford. The returning to fitness of players will give Tommy some difficult, but welcome decisions to make. However, it should at least mean we have options on the bench to change the game in our favour should we need to.

Plenty of debate on the team we should be going with but for me we make one change. Styche is our best striker, he proved it last season, and is ahead in the charts this season. For me he has to come back into the team. So I would set us up:

--------------------------- Maddison--------------------------

Trotman ------------ Burn ------- Hughes ------- O'Hanlon

--------------------- Wheatley ---- Elliott --------------------

Thompson --------------- Syers ----------------- Nicholson

---------------------------- Styche -------------------------------

Subs: Saunders, Ainge, Henshall, Galbraith, Bancroft.

I Think this team is good enough to win a fair few on the bounce if we can maintain the system that allows them to perform to their best.

Happy with that line up , bit tough on Saunders but you cant leave your captain/top scorer warming the bench when he's been away on international duty.

Saunders knows his place in the pecking order. The difference is this season he looks like he could make the chances he gets count. He's already, more toned this season, and he's clearly learning. As he continues to develop, we'll see if he has the mettle to become a regular. But that won't be this season.

It was important to keep southport down below us as it will be with FCUM as with about a quarter of the season gone the relegation zone is a bit too close for comfort. We dont want that still to be the case when the next quarter is done and dusted. Sounded like we were hanging on a bit against a big-spending side that has had a dreadful start to the season but a relief to get another clean sheet. Hopefully we will soon be looking more up the table to the challengers than down at the strugglers. The last two games have suggested progress despite depleted numbers.

It was important to keep southport down below us as it will be with FCUM as with about a quarter of the season gone the relegation zone is a bit too close for comfort. We dont want that still to be the case when the next quarter is done and dusted. Sounded like we were hanging on a bit against a big-spending side that has had a dreadful start to the season but a relief to get another clean sheet. Hopefully we will soon be looking more up the table to the challengers than down at the strugglers. The last two games have suggested progress despite depleted numbers.

We may find out at the end of the season that Southport are much higher than they are now, and hopefully same with us.

Think we're on the right path and would love a couple of cup wins and some £££££s for once.

_________________

“Everybody knows where that club is going now, so I’m out of the way. They can carry on, it’s their club, they can keep it." - Raj Singh, 2017

Just back from the game. How it ended 0-0 I'll never know, if Southport had had a half decent striker they could have won 4-0 (or more). However, the positive to take from this was the stout and resolute defending from Darlo having defenders in the right place (on the goal line) at the right time. In all honesty we never really looked like scoring apart from one Styche header that the Southport keeper did well to parry. Great save by Maddison from the Southport penalty and I thought Glover did well given his short notice start when Syers was seemingly injured in the warm-up. Hughes excellent in defence - he seems to get better with every match.

We were under the cosh for first 20 mins, then we got into the game and we matched them the rest of the first half. Second half started ok but under the cosh for most of it, so good to get a clean sheet by some excellent defending (although they did get a penalty and hit the post a couple of times), some great long passes to feet by the team. In the first half thought that Hughes would be man of the match again, but Maddison in goal saved us multiple times so he would be my choice overall.

Never really caused their keeper any problems at all in the whole game with Styche often isolated and later on looking a little despondent. We missed Syers and Wheatley as there was no real link up between midfield and the forward although Elliott tried hard.

Saying all that, the players ran their socks off, and we finally carried that bit of luck that all teams need in a season.

It does show that we are running on a thin squad and a few injuries can really impact on the flow of football, with a few of the team looking a little injury prone this is going to be a difficult year for TW to get a settled team, and I can't see us being able to afford more players (unless some move out?).

Still happy with a draw and clean sheet, so we may be on an upward curve.

We were under the cosh for first 20 mins, then we got into the game and we matched them the rest of the first half. Second half started ok but under the cosh for most of it, so good to get a clean sheet by some excellent defending (although they did get a penalty and hit the post a couple of times), some great long passes to feet by the team. In the first half thought that Hughes would be man of the match again, but Maddison in goal saved us multiple times so he would be my choice overall.

Never really caused their keeper any problems at all in the whole game with Styche often isolated and later on looking a little despondent. We missed Syers and Wheatley as there was no real link up between midfield and the forward although Elliott tried hard.

Saying all that, the players ran their socks off, and we finally carried that bit of luck that all teams need in a season.

It does show that we are running on a thin squad and a few injuries can really impact on the flow of football, with a few of the team looking a little injury prone this is going to be a difficult year for TW to get a settled team, and I can't see us being able to afford more players (unless some move out?).

Still happy with a draw and clean sheet, so we may be on an upward curve.

Onward and upwards"Up the Quakers"

Agree with all that above. Close call between Hughes and Maddison for me, I would have said Hughes. Not ideal having to re-shuffle before a ball was kicked but I do still worry how over-run we were in midfield? Maybe people will stop moaning on about the Blyth game after today because to be honest we could have lost by 5 or 6 had they taken their chances. I believe luck evens itself up and the table doesn't lie so let's move on please.

Good to hear of Hughes' continued improvement, perhaps starting to get match fit as well as having more time to pick his passes having been forced to play in back four? Also Maddison seems to be settling into the team with another penalty save (shame it wasn't at BM as a number of fans need convincing of his skills). Hopefully, both Syers and Wheatley will be fit & available for a long FA Cup run.

I thought that Burn did ok to be honest in both of the last two games, he looks much more comfortable next to Hughes who was quite vocal organising the defence and they make a good pairing, I would not change pairing as it can only improve with game time together. Hughes is very good at anticipating and has a great footballing brain being in the right place, looks a perfect centre back being strong in the air and in tackle not to mention his ability to accurately pass the ball and not panic under pressure. Also need to say you can see he is losing weight and getting fitter. With Collins and Galbraith able to cover the full back places we have cover at the back in all areas.

Our weakness is in midfield with not a lot of cover for that central area with only Elliott and Wheatley. Mitchell Glover played ok, not wasting many passes, but needs to build up a bit of strength (like Saunders has), he was more of a holding midfielder than dynamic but the stronger opposition players were able to overpower him a few times and lacked a bit of strength in the tackles but he is still very young and that will come.

We have options up front and on wings, and Saunders looks better every time I see him play now.

I thought that Burn did ok to be honest in both of the last two games, he looks much more comfortable next to Hughes who was quite vocal organising the defence and they make a good pairing, I would not change pairing as it can only improve with game time together. Hughes is very good at anticipating and has a great footballing brain being in the right place, looks a perfect centre back being strong in the air and in tackle not to mention his ability to accurately pass the ball and not panic under pressure. Also need to say you can see he is losing weight and getting fitter. With Collins and Galbraith able to cover the full back places we have cover at the back in all areas.

Our weakness is in midfield with not a lot of cover for that central area with only Elliott and Wheatley. Mitchell Glover played ok, not wasting many passes, but needs to build up a bit of strength (like Saunders has), he was more of a holding midfielder than dynamic but the stronger opposition players were able to overpower him a few times and lacked a bit of strength in the tackles but he is still very young and that will come.

We have options up front and on wings, and Saunders looks better every time I see him play now.

Some of the young lads on the bench look useful as well

Think the future is bright in my humble opinion

Agreed we are short centre mid, but I suppose until we can move Caton on our hands are tied. At some point I think we need to try and come to a compromise about paying Caton off, as Tommy doesn’t fancy him. Then he can go and try and get a contract elsewhere.